1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a manual input device with a force feedback function and a vehicle-mounted equipment controller using the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to control means for controlling an actuator that applies an external force as a feedback force to a knob.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, to provide a satisfying sensation while manipulating a knob and to secure the operation thereof, a manual input device with a force feedback function has been known which provides the knob with a sense of resistance and/or thrust corresponding to the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob.
Referring to FIG. 17, an example of a manual input device of the known type is illustrated. The known manual input device includes a knob 101, sensing means 102 for detecting the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob 101, and an actuator 103 for applying an external force to the knob 101. The manual input device further includes a control portion 104 which receives a detection signal a outputted from the sensing means 102 and which generates a control signal c for controlling the actuator 103, a D/A converter 105 which performs a digital-to-analog conversion of the control signal c outputted from the control portion 104, and a power amplifier 106 which amplifies an analog signal c outputted from the D/A converter 105 to provide driving power for driving the actuator 103. The control portion 104 is provided with a CPU 104a, and a memory 104b in which the control signal c corresponding to the detection signal a is stored in a table format. The CPU 104a receives the detection signal a from the sensing means 102, reads from the memory 104b the control signal c corresponding to the received detection signal a, and outputs the control signal c to the D/A converter 105.
This causes the driving of the actuator 103, so that force feedback in response to the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob 101 can be provided to the knob 101. Thus, the manual input device of this example can provide a satisfying sensation while manipulating the knob 101 and can secure the operation of the knob 101.
These kinds of manual input devices have been applied to shift-by-wire gear systems for automobiles, and function adjusting devices for various vehicle-mounted electric equipment, such as air-conditioners, radios, TVs, CD players, and navigation systems.
When the manual input device is used as a gear shifter, a force feedback function provided in the manual input device is utilized, for example, to provide a notchy feeling while shifting the shift lever. Other applications include locking means for disabling irregular operations of the shift lever from changing from one gear to another, such as shifting from P (park) to R (reverse), and from D (drive) to second. When used as a function adjusting device for vehicle-mounted electric equipment, the force feedback function provided in the manual input device is utilized to provide an adequate sense of resistance to the knob 101, thereby facilitating fine adjustment of the functions, and provides adequate thrust to the knob 101, thereby facilitating the manipulation of the knob 101.
When the manual input device is applied to the gear shifter of an automobile, the force feedback function provided in the manual input device may be used to prevent an incorrect operation of the shift lever from one position to another. In this case, however, electric power must be constantly supplied to the actuator 103 during the period of time when the shift lever is switched to a certain position, thus requiring more power consumption. Thus, in order to avoid such a disadvantage, the force feedback function, which is provided in the manual input device, may be utilized for only providing a notchy feeling while switching the shift lever. In this case, locking means for disabling the incorrect operation of the shift lever from one position to another is commonly accomplished by means of a mechanical arrangement.
However, the known manual input device is configured to control the actuator 103 merely based on the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob 101. Thus, with the locking means mechanically configured, after the locking means is released, the force feedback function of the manual input device only provides a notchy feeling while switching the shift lever, thereby permitting the switching of the shift lever from drive to reverse or drive to second, for example, while driving at even a high speed. Even if the gear shifter is mistakenly operated such that it is placed from drive into reverse while diving at a high speed, the transmission installed in the automobile does not synchronize with the operation, so that a gearshift from the drive gear to the reverse gear does not occur. However, this may cause disagreement between the engagement status of the actual gears and the shift status of the shift lever. As a result, this arrangement makes it impossible for the gear shifter to operate the transmission in a correct manner. Furthermore, an unforeseen transmission shift could occur, which may cause an accidental operation such as a sudden stop or sudden deceleration.
This holds true to the case in which the manual input device is applied to a function adjusting device for vehicle-mounted electric equipment. This is because the known manual input device described above is configured to control the actuator 103 in accordance with the amount and direction of manipulation of the knob 101, independently of the status of vehicle-mounted equipment whose functions are adjusted. The known manual input device, therefore, has problems of difficulty in appropriately adjusting the functions depending on the state of the vehicle-mounted electric equipment, thus resulting in a usability which cannot necessarily be called favorable.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made to overcome the deficiencies of such known art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a manual input device having enhanced operability and reliability and being capable of providing an operation feeling that varies depending on the status of an exterior device to be operated.
To this end, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manual input device, the manual input device includes: a knob for operating an external device; an actuator for applying an external force to the knob; a control portion for controlling the actuator; sensor for detecting the operation state of the knob; and an input/output portion for sending and receiving to send a first signal to the external device and to receive a second signal from the external device. The external device is connected to an external sensor that outputs an external signal. The control portion receives, at least, the external signal to generate a control signal for the actuator, the control signal corresponding to the external signal, thereby controlling the actuator.
In this arrangement, the actuator for applying an external force to the knob is controlled by the control signal generated in accordance with the external signal outputted from the external sensor. This allows fine-grained control of the actuator depending on the state of the external device. This arrangement, therefore, can prevent a disagreement between the driving state of the external device and the operation state of the knob, thereby enhancing the operability and reliability of the manual input device. In addition, the control portion is provided in the manual input device and all the detection signals and external signals are inputted to the control portion. This eliminates the need for making a change to the external device, thereby facilitating the application of the manual input device to the external device.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manual input device that includes: a knob for operating an external device; an actuator for applying an external force to the knob; a control portion for controlling the actuator; sensor for detecting the operation state of the knob; and an input/output portion to send a first signal to the external device and to receive a second signal from the external device. Upon receipt of both of a detection signal outputted from the sensor and an external signal outputted from an external sensor, the external device generates control information for the actuator, the control information corresponding to, at least, the external signal. The external device then transmits the control information to the control portion through the input/output portion, and the control portion generates a control signal for the actuator, the control signal corresponding to the control information, thereby controlling the actuator.
With this arrangement, the actuator is controlled by the control signal generated in accordance with, at least, the external signal outputted from the external sensor. This allows fine-grained control of the actuator depending on the state of the external device, thereby enhancing the operability and reliability of the manual input device. In addition, the external device generates the control information in accordance with the detection signal and external signal. This makes it possible to alleviate the burden on the control portion and also increase the speed in controlling the actuator.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manual input device that includes: a knob for operating an external device; an actuator for applying an external force to the knob; sensor for detecting the operation state of the knob; and an input/output portion to send a first signal to the external device and to receive a second signal the external device. Upon receipt of both of a detection signal outputted from the sensor and an external signal outputted from an external sensor, the external device generates control information for the actuator, the control information corresponding to, at least, the external signal, thereby controlling the actuator.
With this arrangement, the actuator is controlled by the control signal generated in accordance with the external signal outputted from the external sensor. This allows fine-grained control of the actuator depending on the state of the external device, thereby enhancing the operability and reliability of the manual input device. In addition, the external device generates the control signal for the actuator in accordance with the detection signal and external signal, thereby controlling the actuator included in the manual input device. It is therefore possible to eliminate the need for providing the control portion in the manual input device, thereby allowing for reductions in the size and cost of the manual input device.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a manual input device that includes: a knob for operating an external device; an actuator for applying an external force to the knob; sensor for detecting the operation state of the knob; and an input/output portion to send a first signal to the external device and to receive a second signal from the external device. The external device is connected to an external sensor that outputs an external signal, and the actuator is controlled by a control signal generated in accordance with the external signal.
In this arrangement, the actuator for applying an external force to the knob is controlled by the control signal generated in accordance with the external signal outputted from the external sensor. This allows fine-grained control of the actuator depending on the state of the external device, thereby preventing a disagreement between the driving state of the external device and the operation state of the knob. This arrangement, therefore, can enhance the operability and reliability of the manual input device.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle-mounted equipment controller. The vehicle-mounted equipment controller includes, at least one function selection switch for selecting a function from among a plurality of various functions to be adjusted, and a manual input device for adjusting the function selected with the function selection switch. The manual input device includes one of the manual input devices according to the first and fourth aspects.
In this arrangement, the manual input device to be installed in the vehicle-mounted equipment controller may be controlled by the control signal generated in accordance with, at least, the external signal outputted from the external sensor that is connected to the external signal. This arrangement allows fine-grained control of the actuator depending on the state of the electric equipment, thereby preventing a disagreement between the driving state of the external device and the operation state of the knob. This arrangement, therefore, can improve the operability and reliability of the vehicle-mounted equipment controller.
As described above, the vehicle-mounted equipment controller of the present invention includes, in a single housing, at least one function selection switch for selecting a function from among a plurality of various functions to be adjusted; and the manual input device for adjusting the function selected. This arrangement allows for central control of a plurality of types of vehicle-mounted electric equipment. This can facilitate the adjustment of functions of each type of the vehicle-mounted electric equipment, thus leading to enhanced safety during the operation of the automobile. In addition, the manual input device included in the vehicle-mounted equipment controller controls the control signal for the actuator in accordance with the detection signal outputted from the sensor and the external signal outputted from the external sensor. This arrangement can provide an operation feeling to the knob depending upon the state of the vehicle-mounted equipment to be adjusted, thereby improving the operability of the knob. Accordingly, the use of the vehicle-mounted equipment controller makes it possible to facilitate and secure the adjustment of functions of the electric equipment to be operated.
In the manual input device described above, the sensor is preferably coupled to an operation shaft of the knob, and the knob and the actuator are coupled via a power transmission portion. With this arrangement, because the sensing coupled to the operation shaft of the knob, it is possible to accurately detect the amount of manipulation of the knob during manipulation.
Preferably, the sensor is coupled to a drive shaft of the actuator, and the knob and the actuator are coupled via a power transmission portion. With this arrangement, because the sensing portion is coupled to the drive shaft of the actuator via the power transmission portion, the amount of manipulation of the knob during the manipulation can be detected as the amount of actuation of the actuator, thereby increasing the detection accuracy and facilitating the replacement of the knob.
Preferably, the sensor is coupled with the knob via a power transmission portion. With this arrangement, because the sensor is coupled with the knob via the power transmission portion, the versatility of connecting the sensor, actuator, and knob is enhanced.
Preferably, the knob is arranged so as to pivot in at least two directions, and the actuator comprises at least two actuators that are provided for each direction in which the knob is pivoted, via converters. With this arrangement, because the knob can pivot in at least two directions, it is possible to manipulate the knob in multi-directions.
Preferably, the knob extends in a direction perpendicular to the operation shaft of the knob, and the knob is rotated within a plane perpendicular to the operation shaft. Alternatively, the operation shaft of the knob is arranged in a horizontal direction, and the knob extends in a direction perpendicular to the operation shaft and is rotated within a plane perpendicular to the operation shaft. Optionally, the knob is a slide-type knob that is slidably operated, the power transmission portion may be integrally formed with the knob, and the sensing portion may be provided between the knob and the actuator. Preferably, the sensing portion is provided for each direction in which the knob is pivoted. With these arrangements, the knob, sensing portion, and actuator can be connected in various manners and thus can take various forms.